Demographics of Denmark

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Denmark, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

National demographics

Since 1980, the number of Danes has remained constant at around 5 million in Denmark and nearly all the population growth from 5.1 up to the 2018 total of 5.8 million was due to immigration.
According to 2017 figures from Statistics Denmark, 86.9% of Denmark's population of over 5,760,694 was of Danish descent, defined as having at least one parent who was born in Denmark and has Danish citizenship. The remaining 13.1% were of a foreign background, defined as immigrants or descendants of recent immigrants. With the same definition, the most common countries of origin were Poland, Turkey, Germany, Iraq, Romania, Syria, Somalia, Iran, Afghanistan, and Yugoslavia and its successor states.
More than 752,618 individuals are migrants and their descendants.
Of these 752,618 immigrants and their descendants:

267,606 have a Western background.
485,012 have a non-Western background.
Ethnic groups

Non-Scandinavian ethnic minorities include:

Ethnic minorities in Denmark include a handful of groups:

Approximately 15,000 people in Denmark belong to a German minority traditionally referred to as hjemmetyskere meaning "domestic Germans" in Danish, and as Nordschleswiger in German. This minority of Germans hold Danish citizenship and self-identify as Germans. Many of them speak German or Low German as their home language. There are also several thousand German citizens and other ethnic Germans residing in Denmark with no historical connection to this group.
An estimated 23,000 people in Denmark proper are ethnic Faroese, while 19,000 Greenlanders reside permanently in Denmark. Many of these use the Faroese and Greenlandic languages, respectively, as their first language. All residents of the Kingdom holds Danish citizenship, unless they inherit or otherwise receive a foreign citizenship.
The religiously affiliated Danish Jews number around 7,000. Secular Jews and unaffiliated ethnic Jews in Denmark number several thousand.
There are approximately 15,000-20,000 Romani people with historical ties to Denmark, excluding recent immigrants and their immediate descendants.
Modern minorities

Rank	Country of origin	Population
1.		73,906
2.		48,719
3.		43,313
4.		34,727
5.		33,712
6.		33,625
7.		30,634
8.		29,747
9.		23,380
10.		21,863
11.		21,166
12.		19,551
13.		17,733
14.		17,517
15.		17,290
16.		16,825
17.		16,036
18.		15,405
19.		15,139
20.		15,103

Total fertility rate from 1850 to 1899

The total fertility rate is the number of children born per woman. It is based on fairly good data for the entire period. Sources: Our World In Data and Gapminder Foundation.

Year	1850	1851	1852	1853	1854	1855	1856	1857	1858	1859	1860
Total fertility rate in Denmark	4.24	4.06	4.48	4.27	4.41	4.31	4.37	4.44	4.48	4.53	4.4

Year	1871	1872	1873	1874	1875	1876	1877	1878	1879	1880
Total fertility rate in Denmark	4.06	4.09	4.16	4.17	4.31	4.4	4.36	4.27	4.3	4.28

Year	1891	1892	1893	1894	1895	1896	1897	1898	1899
Total fertility rate in Denmark	4.18	4	4.16	4.1	4.09	4.11	4.02	4.08	4.01

Vital statistics since 1900

Data according to Statistics Denmark, which collects the official statistics for Denmark.

	Average population	Live births	Deaths	Nat. change	Crude birth rate	Crude death rate	Nat. change	Total fertility rate
1900	2,432,000	72,129	40,891	31,238	29.7	16.8	12.8	4.16
1901	2,463,000	73,219	38,786	34,425	29.7	15.7	14.0	4.14
1902	2,494,000	72,839	36,424	36,391	29.2	14.6	14.6	4.05
1903	2,525,000	72,351	36,956	35,403	28.7	14.6	14.0	3.96
1904	2,546,000	73,692	35,903	37,788	28.9	14.1	14.8	3.97
1905	2,574,000	73,082	38,598	34,484	28.4	15.0	13.4	3.87
1906	2,603,000	74,217	35,231	38,986	28.5	13.5	15.0	3.87
1907	2,635,000	74,324	37,275	37,049	28.2	14.1	14.1	3.81
1908	2,668,000	76,233	39,072	37,161	28.6	14.6	13.9	3.83
1909	2,702,000	76,301	35,837	40,464	28.2	13.3	15.0	3.78
1910	2,737,000	75,299	35,184	40,013	27.5	12.9	14.6	3.67
1911	2,770,000	73,933	37,236	36,697	26.7	13.4	13.2	3.60
1912	2,802,000	74,659	36,486	38,173	26.6	13.0	13.6	3.58
1913	2,833,000	72,475	35,364	37,111	25.6	12.5	13.1	3.43
1914	2,866,000	73,294	35,921	37,373	25.6	12.5	13.0	3.42
1915	2,901,000	70,192	37,174	33,018	24.2	12.8	11.4	3.23
1916	2,936,000	71,559	39,265	32,294	24.4	13.4	11.0	3.23
1917	2,972,000	70,306	39,224	31,082	23.7	13.2	10.5	3.11
1918	3,006,000	72,505	39,038	33,467	24.1	13.0	11.1	3.16
1919	3,041,000	68,722	39,590	29,132	22.6	13.0	9.6	2.96
1920	3,079,000	78,230	39,841	38,389	25.4	12.9	12.5	3.29
1921	3,283,000	78,815	36,215	42,600	24.0	11.0	13.0	3.11
1922	3,318,000	73,899	39,452	34,435	22.3	11.9	10.4	2.87
1923	3,352,000	74,827	37,903	36,924	22.3	11.3	11.0	2.85
1924	3,389,000	73,836	38,091	35,778	21.8	11.2	10.6	2.78
1925	3,425,000	71,897	37,083	34,814	21.0	10.8	10.2	2.66
1926	3,452,000	70,734	38,093	32,641	20.5	11.0	9.5	2.58
1927	3,475,000	68,024	40,190	27,834	19.6	11.6	8.0	2.44
1928	3,497,000	68,516	38,484	30,032	19.6	11.0	8.6	2.43
1929	3,518,000	65,297	39,486	25,913	18.6	11.2	7.4	2.30
1930	3,542,000	66,303	38,174	28,129	18.7	10.8	7.9	2.29
1931	3,569,000	64,266	40,578	23,688	18.0	11.4	6.6	2.20
1932	3,603,000	64,650	39,701	24,949	17.9	11.0	6.9	2.17
1933	3,633,000	62,780	38,287	24,493	17.3	10.5	6.7	2.10
1934	3,666,000	65,116	38,050	27,066	17.8	10.4	7.4	2.15
1935	3,695,000	65,223	40,816	24,407	17.7	11.0	6.6	2.12
1936	3,722,000	66,418	40,919	25,499	17.8	11.0	6.9	2.14
1937	3,749,000	67,440	40,442	26,998	18.0	10.8	7.2	2.16
1938	3,777,000	68,463	39,058	29,407	18.1	10.3	7.8	2.18
1939	3,805,000	67,914	38,535	29,379	17.8	10.1	7.7	2.16
1940	3,832,000	70,121	39,730	30,391	18.3	10.4	7.9	2.22
1941	3,863,000	71,306	39,756	31,550	18.5	10.3	8.2	2.24
1942	3,903,000	79,545	37,527	42,018	20.4	9.6	10.8	2.50
1943	3,949,000	84,319	37,982	46,337	21.4	9.6	11.7	2.65
1944	3,998,000	90,641	41,087	49,554	22.7	10.3	12.4	2.84
1945	4,045,000	95,062	42,298	52,764	23.5	10.5	13.0	2.98
1946	4,101,000	96,111	42,013	54,098	23.4	10.2	13.2	3.02
1947	4,146,000	91,714	40,043	51,671	22.1	9.7	12.5	2.90
1948	4,190,000	84,938	35,981	48,957	20.3	8.6	11.7	2.71
1949	4,230,000	79,919	37,793	42,126	18.9	8.9	10.0	2.58
1950	4,271,000	79,558	39,300	40,258	18.6	9.2	9.4	2.57
1951	4,304,000	76,559	37,960	38,599	17.8	8.8	9.0	2.50
1952	4,334,000	76,943	39,173	37,770	17.8	9.0	8.7	2.53
1953	4,369,000	78,261	39,350	38,911	17.9	9.0	8.9	2.60
1954	4,406,000	76,365	39,885	36,480	17.3	9.1	8.3	2.55
1955	4,439,000	76,845	38,789	38,056	17.3	8.7	8.6	2.58
1956	4,466,000	76,725	39,588	37,137	17.2	8.9	8.3	2.61
1957	4,488,000	75,264	41,730	33,534	16.8	9.3	7.5	2.57
1958	4,515,000	74,681	41,560	33,121	16.5	9.2	7.3	2.55
1959	4,547,000	73,928	42,159	31,769	16.3	9.3	7.0	2.52
1960	4,581,000	76,077	43,681	32,396	16.6	9.5	7.1	2.57
1961	4,610,000	76,439	43,310	33,129	16.6	9.4	7.2	2.55
1962	4,647,000	77,808	45,334	32,474	16.7	9.8	7.0	2.58
1963	4,684,000	82,413	45,773	36,640	17.6	9.8	7.8	2.64
1964	4,720,000	83,356	46,811	36,545	17.7	9.9	7.7	2.60
1965	4,758,000	85,796	47,884	37,912	18.0	10.1	8.0	2.61
1966	4,795,000	88,332	49,344	38,988	18.4	10.3	8.1	2.62
1967	4,836,000	81,410	47,836	33,574	16.8	9.9	6.9	2.35
1968	4,865,000	74,543	47,290	27,253	15.3	9.7	5.6	2.12
1969	4,891,000	71,298	47,943	23,355	14.6	9.8	4.8	2.00
1970	4,951,000	70,802	48,233	22,569	14.3	9.7	4.6	1.95
1971	4,963,000	75,359	48,858	26,501	15.2	9.8	5.3	2.04
1972	4,992,000	75,505	50,445	25,060	15.1	10.1	5.0	2.03
1973	5,022,000	71,895	50,526	21,369	14.3	10.1	4.3	1.92
1974	5,045,000	71,327	51,637	19,690	14.1	10.2	3.9	1.90
1975	5,060,000	72,071	50,895	21,176	14.2	10.1	4.1	1.92
1976	5,073,000	65,267	54,001	11,266	12.9	10.6	2.2	1.75
1977	5,088,000	61,878	50,485	11,393	12.2	9.9	2.2	1.66
1978	5,104,000	62,036	52,864	9,172	12.2	10.4	1.8	1.67
1979	5,117,000	59,464	54,654	4,810	11.6	10.7	0.9	1.60
1980	5,123,000	57,293	55,939	1,354	11.2	10.9	0.3	1.55
1981	5,122,000	53,089	56,359	-3,270	10.4	11.0	-0.6	1.44
1982	5,118,000	52,658	55,368	-2,710	10.3	10.8	-0.5	1.43
1983	5,114,000	50,822	57,156	-6,334	9.9	11.2	-1.2	1.38
1984	5,112,000	51,800	57,109	-5,309	10.1	11.2	-1.0	1.40
1985	5,114,000	53,749	58,378	-4,629	10.5	11.4	-0.9	1.45
1986	5,121,000	55,312	58,100	-2,788	10.8	11.3	-0.5	1.48
1987	5,127,000	56,221	58,136	-1,915	11.0	11.3	-0.4	1.51
1988	5,130,000	58,844	58,984	-127	11.5	11.5	-0.0	1.56
1989	5,133,000	61,351	59,397	2,047	12.0	11.6	0.4	1.62
1990	5,140,000	63,433	60,926	2,545	12.3	11.9	0.5	1.67
1991	5,154,000	64,358	59,581	4,777	12.5	11.6	0.9	1.68
1992	5,170,000	67,726	60,821	6,905	13.1	11.8	1.3	1.76
1993	5,189,000	67,369	62,809	4,560	13.0	12.1	0.9	1.75
1994	5,205,000	69,666	61,099	8,567	13.4	11.7	1.6	1.81
1995	5,228,000	69,771	63,127	6,644	13.3	12.1	1.3	1.81
1996	5,262,000	67,638	61,043	6,595	12.9	11.6	1.3	1.75
1997	5,284,000	67,648	59,898	7,750	12.8	11.3	1.5	1.75
1998	5,301,000	66,174	58,453	7,721	12.5	11.0	1.5	1.72
1999	5,322,000	66,220	59,179	7,041	12.4	11.1	1.3	1.73
2000	5,340,000	67,084	57,998	9,086	12.6	10.9	1.7	1.77
2001	5,359,000	65,458	58,355	7,103	12.2	10.9	1.3	1.74
2002	5,375,000	64,075	58,610	5,465	11.9	10.9	1.0	1.72
2003	5,391,000	64,599	57,574	7,025	12.0	10.7	1.3	1.76
2004	5,405,000	64,609	55,086	9,523	12.0	10.2	1.8	1.78
2005	5,419,000	64,282	54,962	9,320	11.9	10.1	1.7	1.80
2006	5,437,000	64,984	55,477	9,507	12.0	10.2	1.7	1.85
2007	5,461,000	64,082	55,604	8,478	11.7	10.2	1.6	1.84
2008	5,494,000	65,038	54,591	10,447	11.8	9.9	1.9	1.89
2009	5,523,000	62,818	54,872	7,946	11.4	9.9	1.4	1.84
2010	5,548,000	63,411	54,368	9,043	11.4	9.8	1.6	1.87
2011	5,571,000	58,998	52,516	6,482	10.6	9.4	1.2	1.75
2012	5,591,000	57,916	52,325	5,591	10.4	9.4	1.0	1.73
2013	5,614,000	55,844	52,428	3,416	9.9	9.3	0.6	1.67
2014	5,659,000	56,870	51,340	5,530	10.1	9.1	1.0	1.69
2015	5,707,000	58,205	52,555	5,650	10.2	9.2	1.0	1.71
2016	5,749,000	61,614	52,824	8,790	10.7	9.2	1.5	1.79
2017	5,781,000	61,272	53,261	8,011	10.6	9.2	1.4	1.75
2018	5,806,000	61,476	55,232	6,244	10.6	9.5	1.1	1.73
2019	5,823,000	61,167	53,958	7,209	10.5	9.3	1.2	1.70

Note. Population as of 31 December.

Current natural increase

Number of births from January–March 2019 = 14,229
Number of births from January–March 2020 = 14,652
Number of deaths from January–March 2019 = 14,342
Number of deaths from January–March 2020 = 14,035
Natural growth from January–March 2019 = -113
Natural growth from January–March 2020 = 617
[Life expectancy] from 1775 to 2015

Sources: Our World In Data and the United Nations.
1775-1950

Years	1775	1835	1836	1837	1838	1839	1840	1841	1842	1843	1844	1845	1846	1847	1848	1849	1850
Life expectancy in Denmark	33.0	38.4	40.0	41.5	43.1	41.9	41.1	42.6	42.5	43.9	44.0	43.4	40.4	40.4	40.8	39.5	43.5

Years	1861	1862	1863	1864	1865	1866	1867	1868	1869	1870
Life expectancy in Denmark	47.6	47.6	47.2	40.2	39.8	42.9	44.9	45.6	46.1	46.0

Years	1881	1882	1883	1884	1885	1886	1887	1888	1889	1890
Life expectancy in Denmark	48.3	46.7	48.5	48.5	49.6	49.0	48.7	46.7	47.8	47.2

Years	1901	1902	1903	1904	1905	1906	1907	1908	1909	1910
Life expectancy in Denmark	52.6	54.7	54.8	55.7	54.3	56.5	56.1	54.9	57.4	58.0

Years	1921	1922	1923	1924	1925	1926	1927	1928	1929	1930
Life expectancy in Denmark	61.7	60.6	61.2	61.1	61.9	61.7	61.2	61.9	61.9	62.3

Years	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	1946	1947	1948	1949	1950
Life expectancy in Denmark	66.0	67.1	67.4	66.4	66.1	67.2	68.5	70.1	70.1	70.3

1950-2015

Period	Life expectancy in Years	Period	Life expectancy in Years
1950–1955	71.1	1985–1990	74.8
1955–1960	72.1	1990–1995	75.2
1960–1965	72.4	1995–2000	76.1
1965–1970	72.9	2000–2005	77.3
1970–1975	73.6	2005–2010	78.6
1975–1980	74.2	2010–2015	80.2
1980–1985	74.4

Source: UN World Population Prospects

Religion

The Church of Denmark is state-supported and, according to statistics from January 2019, accounts for about 74.7% of Denmark's religious affiliation. Denmark has had religious freedom guaranteed since 1849 by the Constitution, and numerous other religions are officially recognised, including several Christian denominations, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu and other congregations as well as Forn Siðr, a revival of Scandinavian pagan tradition. The Department of Ecclesiastical Affairs recognises roughly a hundred religious congregations for tax and legal purposes such as conducting wedding ceremonies.
Islam is the second largest religion in Denmark.
For historical reasons, there is a formal distinction between 'approved' and 'recognised' congregations of faith. The latter include 11 traditional denominations, such as Roman Catholics, the Reformed Church, the Mosaic Congregation, Methodists and Baptists, some of whose privileges in the country date hundreds of years back. These have the additional rights of having priests appointed by royal resolution and to christen/name children with legal effect.

Demographic statistics

Population

Denmark's population from 1769 to 2007.

Year	Population	Year	Population
1769	797,584	1976	5,065,313
1787	841,806	1977	5,079,879
1801	929,001	1978	5,096,959
1834	1,230,964	1979	5,111,537
1840	1,289,075	1980	5,122,065
1845	1,356,877	1981	5,123,989
1850	1,414,648	1982	5,119,155
1855	1,507,222	1983	5,116,464
1860	1,608,362	1984	5,112,130
1870	1,784,741	1985	5,111,108
1880	1,969,039	1986	5,116,273
1890	2,172,380	1987	5,124,794
1901	2,449,540	1988	5,129,254
1906	2,588,919	1989	5,129,778
1911	2,757,076	1990	5,135,409
1916	2,921,362	1991	5,146,469
1921	3,267,831	1992	5,162,126
1925	3,434,555	1993	5,180,614
1930	3,550,656	1994	5,196,642
1935	3,706,349	1995	5,215,718
1940	3,844,312	1996	5,251,027
1945	4,045,232	1997	5,275,121
1950	4,281,275	1998	5,294,860
1955	4,448,401	1999	5,313,577
1960	4,585,256	2000	5,330,020
1965	4,767,597	2001	5,349,212
1970	4,937,579	2002	5,368,354
1971	4,950,598	2003	5,383,507
1972	4,975,653	2004	5,397,640
1973	5,007,538	2005	5,411,405
1974	5,036,184	2006	5,427,459
1975	5,054,410	2007	5,447,084

Source Statistics Denmark, "Folketal efter hovedlandsdele "
To curb population decline, Denmark began subidizing the Do it for Denmark advertising campaign in 2014.

Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2019.

One birth every 8 minutes
One death every 9 minutes
One net migrant every 34 minutes
Net gain of one person every 24 minutes

Demographic statistics according to the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.
;Population:
;Age structure:
;Median age:
;Birth rate:
;Death rate:
;Total fertility rate:
;Mother's mean age at first birth:
;Population growth rate:
;Net migration rate:
;Life expectancy at birth:
;Ethnic groups:
note: data represent population by ancestry
;Religions:
;Dependency ratios:
;Urbanization:
;Major urban areas - population:
;Sex ratio:
;School life expectancy :
;Unemployment, youth ages 15–24:

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Demographics of Denmark

National demographics

Ethnic groups

Historic minorities